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Eleusinian Mysteries (5 Discourses, AMORC)
Eleusinian Mysteries (5 Discourses, AMORC)
ELEUSINIAN MYSTERIES
AMORC
The contents of these discourses do not constitute the traditional official teachings of the ANCIENT. M YS
TICAL ORDER ROSAE CRUCIS They are intended to supplement the official monographs. The analysis of
the principles and doctrines as given herein is strictly a Rosicrucian interpretation.
True wisdom is less presuming than folly. The wise man
doubteth often, and changeth his mind; the fool is obstinate,
and doubteth not; he knoweth all things but his own ignorance.
U n t o T h e e I G rant
DISCOURSE ONE PAGE ONE
* * * * * *
INTRODUCTION
Fraternally,
YOUR CLASS MASTER
For Your Review
The following is a condensation of the essential thoughts contained in this discourse. It is sug
gested that these points be referred to periodically in order to refresh your memory. Remember,
there is no knowledge so useless as that beyond recall.
<]J A common example of blind loyalty is that which religionists hold toward their
sacred writings.
<J" Spiritual concepts arise from within, and it takes more than words to express
them.
I][ The mystery schools have developed unique exercises to help man express his
Higher Self.
f]j The great avatars were also scholars and mystics.
Self-Interrogation
The following questions are given so that you may test your understanding of the contents of
this discourse:
From understanding comes wisdom, and wisdom is the application of knowledge. If you
cannot answer the questions, reread the discourse. Do not send the answers to the Department
of Instruction.
AMORC
Discourse
The contents of these discourses do not constitute the traditional official teachings of the ANCIENT, MYS
TICAL ORDER ROSAE CRUCIS. They are intended to supplement the official monographs. The analysis of
the principles and doctrines as given herein is strictly a Rosicrucian interpretation.
True wisdom is less presuming than folly. The wise
man doubteth often, and changeth his mind; the fool
is obstinate, and doubteth not; he knoweth all things
but his own ignorance.
U nto T hee I G r an t
DISCOURSE TWO PAGE ONE
Fratres and Sorores, Greetings!
Certain things may be deduced about the Greek mysteries.
First, the mysteries as practiced in Greece can be traced to at
least three thousand years before Christ. Second, there is an
immediate and mediate genetic relationship between divinities and
beliefs of different people, which will be presently stated more
explicitly. Third, at least some of the mysteries predated the
Hellenic invasions, but the origin of the Eleusinian Mysteries is
uncertain.
An exact explanation of the Eleusinian Mysteries is not an
easy matter. The ancient authors, who for one reason or another
touched on them, expressed themselves guardedly. Silence was im
posed by a threatened punishment of death to anyone who dared to
betray the sacredness of the mysteries. Pausanias, one of the
best-known travelers of ancient times, who as an initiate had en
tered the inner part of the temple with the intention ,of describing
whatever was to be seen, was prevented from doing so by a dream.
"The dream forbade the description of everything viewed within the
temple, affixed and performed, that might make clear what should
never be told."
Strabo, on the other hand, who was not an initiate and, there
fore, unable to enter the temple of Demeter or the buildings acces
sory to it, speaks only of what he could see while passing by the
walls. He said that the temple had the capacity of a theater.
However, in spite of the enforced silencef the Eleusinian
Mysteries no longer remain completely secret. Today, in addition
to the information offered by the ancient authors, there are writ
ten remains preserved by the Theological School of Alexandria, and
the varied information of the early Fathers of the Christian
church. From these the persistent inquirer can attain a rather
good idea as to what the mysteries were.
Clement of Alexandria who lived from about 150 to 215 A.D.
wrote on the mysteries. However, the Fathers of the church discus
sed the mysteries primarily to refute them as heresies. We glean
some information from the Greek dramas and from philosophers such
as Plato.
Self-Interrogation
The following questions are given so that you may test your (understanding of the
contents of this discourse:
From understanding comes wisdom, and wisdom is the application of knowledge. If you
cannot answer the questions, reread the discourse. Do not send the answers to the
Department of Instruction.
1. W hat are some of the sources of information on the Eleusinian Mysteries?
2. How old is the Hymn to Demeter?
3. Who found Demeter after her search for Persephone and where?
4. What did Demeter do after she was found?
5. What did she say when the people found who she was?
ROSICRUCIAN RESEARCH LIBRARY
Where the minds of the past meet those of the present.
AMORC
The contents of these discourses do not constitute the traditional official teachings of the ANCIENT. MYS
TICAL ORDER ROSAE CRUCIS. They are intended to supplement the official monographs. The analysis of
the principles and doctrines as given herein is strictly a Rosicrucian interpretation.
True wisdom is less presuming than folly. The wise
man doubteth often, and changeth his mind; the fool
is obstinate, and doubteth not; he knoweth all things
but his own ignorance.
U nto T hee I G r an t
DISCOURSE THREE PAGE ONE
again became a beneficent force, and the desolate lands once more
bloomed with vegetation. The interrupted life of nature began
again as a result of the agreement between heaven and Earth. But
one of the great benefits to mankind was the teaching of her divine
science to mortals while she stayed at Eleusis. She ordained that
no one should neglect, disbelieve, or make public these teachings.
As the following quotation states, respect for the gods should
restrain any tongue: " . . . and whatever we have thus revealed is
no reason why we should fear and lament, for it is a great sin to
obstruct speech." (The implication is that there is no reason to
state what we are not supposed to reveal.)
The Homeric Hymn to Demeter ends with these important and epi
grammatic words: "Blessed are the mortals, inhabitants of the
Earth, who have seen the great spectacles. But whoever remains un
initiated and never participates in the performance of the sacred
ceremonies will be forever deprived of this blessing because he
will not possess it even when death shall send him to the gloomy
world below."
ESTABLISHMENT Before we begin a thorough examination of the
OF THE MYSTERIES establishment of the Eleusinian Mysteries, the
fact must not be left unmentioned that contempo
raneously with them there were being performed in Egypt the Lesser
and Greater Mysteries dedicated to Isis and Osiris or Serapis. In
the Book of the Dead, one may notice aroong the editor's comments
the following statement: "This goddess (Isis), who abolished canni
balism in Egypt, and who taught the Egyptians how to cultivate a
number of cereals as well as the grapevine, the art of weaving and
clothing in general, and the art of sorcery. . . . "
Apuleius Lucius, born about 125 A.D. in Madauros in Numedia,
Platonic philosopher and author of a work entitled The Golden Ass,
has Isis say to Lucius Varius, "My name, my divinity is adored
throughout all the world, in divers manners, in variable customs,
and by many names. For the Phrygians that are the first of all men
call me the Mother of the gods of Pessinus; the Athenians, which
are sprung from their own soil, Cecropian Minerva; the Cyprians,
which are girt about by the sea, Paphian Venus; the Cretans which
bear arrows, Dictynian Diana; the Sicilians, which speak three
tongues, infernal Proserpine; the Eleusians their ancient goddess
Ceres; some Juno, other Bellona, other Hecate, other Rhamnusia, and
principally both sort of the Ethiopians, which dwell in the Orient
and are enlightened by the morning rays of the sun, and the Egyp
tians, which are excellent in all kind of ancient doc
trine, and by their proper ceremonies accustom to worship
me, do call me by my true name, Queen Isis."
It can easily be conjectured from this quotation that
Apuleius was initiated into the Egyptian Mysteries of
DISCOURSE THREE PAGE THREE
AMORC
The contents of these discourses do not constitute the traditional official teachings of the ANCIENT, MYS
TICAL ORDER ROSAE CRUCIS. They are intended to supplement the official monographs.
True wisdom is less presuming than folly. The wise
man doubteth often, and changeth his mind; the fool
is obstinate, and doubteth not; he knoweth all things
but his own ignorance.
U nto T hee I G rant
DISCOURSE FOUR PAGE O N E
Eleusis was the shrine of the ancient Greeks because it had had the
good fortune to receive the imprints of Demeter's steps. There was
hardly a thing in the land that was not reminiscent of the goddess. It
was there that she appeared in all her divine glory and taught the secrets
of her worship. It was there that the spirit of ancient Greek philosophy
reached the apogee of its glory and greatness. No wonder that so many
from all parts of Greece came to the annual ceremonies
either for initiation or to benefit from the sanctifying
atmosphere.
Once dogmatic foundations are excluded, one can see the influence
of the mysteries on later religions and philosophies. The similarity to
modern initiatic orders such as our own is obvious. The mysteries
contributed greatly to the development of doctrines concerning future
judgment, retribution for all sinful acts performed in the present
earthly life, and the immortality of the soul.
In this way knowledge was divided into two parts, the esoteric or
metaphysical for the purified and spiritually strong, and the exoteric
or allegorical for the masses. When truth fails to be understandable,
it becomes error. Heraclitus' characteristic and comprehensive philo
sophical reflection is to the point. "What is God? An immortal man.
And what is man? A mortal God!"
Fraternally,
5 The teachings of the mysteries were eagerly sought, but initiates had to be citizens of Athens.
^ The Eleusinian Mysteries were abolished by the decree of Theodosius in A.D. 381.
•[ The teaching of the Eleusinian Mysteries superseded polytheism and superstition and gave
the initiate the concept of monotheism.
A A A
The following questions are given so that you may test your understanding of the contents
of this discourse:
From understanding comes wisdom, and wisdom is the application of knowledge. If you
cannot answer the questions, reread the discourse. Do not send the answers to the Depart
ment of Instruction.
1. Why was initiation into the mysteries sought?
( P r i n t e d by A M O R C P r e s s )
ROSICRUCIAN GUIDANCE
ELEUSINIAN MYSTERIES
AMORC
The contents of these discourses do not constitute the traditional official teachings of the ANCIENT, MYS
TICAL ORDER ROSAE CRUCIS. They are intended to supplement the official monographs. The analysis of
the principles and doctrines as given herein is strictly a Rosicrucian interpretation.
True wisdom is less presuming than folly. The wise
man doubteth often, and changeth his m ind; the fool
is obstinate, and doubteth not; he knoweth all things
but his own ignorance.
U nto Thee I G rant
disc o u r s e : five page o n e
As for the doctrine of the immortality of the soul with which all
initiates became acquainted, who can deny that it ennobled man and
placed him far above all other creatures? Those who came in contact
with this teaching's flame were kindled with love and enlivened with
the hope of eternal happiness. They were taught that such happiness
could be experienced only after an ardent search for the truth, the
practice of moderation, and service for the benefit of their fellow
man. It was this teaching and nothing else which kept the initiate's
lamp of philosophy and science burning. It encouraged men to scorn
dangers, trials, struggles, and death itself.
In order to become worthy of receiving the great and noble truths
of the Greater Mysteries and to make sure that strict secrecy would be
preserved always by all, it was required that everyone be prepared first
through the Lesser Mysteries. Only after passing through severe trials,
until the authorities deemed him purified, was the candidate considered
worthy of entrance into the advanced teachings. For these reasons,
persons of illegitimate birth, slaves, immoral persons, degenerates,
traitors, deserters, and those indiffere-nt to the good of society were
prevented by their intrinsic unworthiness from becoming candidates.
The priests of Demeter exercised their privilege of denying par
ticipation in the ceremonies to whomever they wished. It is said that
the Hierophant of the Eleusinian temple even refused to consider the
petition of Apollonius of Tyana when he went to Athens. The basis for
the refusal was that Apollonius was considered a magician. It must
be remembered that not all of the profound truths were revealed to the
initiates at one time ; nor did all become holy men.
Plato gives evidence of this in the Phaedo. "For 'many, ' as they
say in the mysteries, 'are the thyrsus-bearers, but few are the mys
tics,'— meaning, as I interpret the words, 'the true philosophers.'"
The thyrsus was a wreathed wand.
Diogenes, who was not an initiate, is said to have exclaimed when
he heard the verses of Sophocles describing the initiated as blessed and
the uninitiated as condemned to eternal suffering, "What sayest thou?
Will a thief of potatoes meet with better luck in the hands of destiny
when he dies, because he is an initiate, than will Epaminondas?"
IN ITIA TIO NAbout the beginning of September, when the ceremony of
CEREMONY initiation was performed, the Hierokeryx (Herald), the
youngest of the first priests of Demeter's temple, drove
those who were being catechized away from the temple with the words,
"Away, away, you profane." But he led the faithful, who were known as
epoptai, into the temple.
Inside the threshold stood the second priest, the Dadouchos
{Torchbearer), who received the epoptai for further puri
fication bv confession and baptism.
DISCOURSE FIVE PAGE FOUR
<][ Monotheism is found in Orphic Hymns as well as in works by many Greek philo
sophers and in the Eleusinian Mysteries.
<J The mysteries taught purification, ethical conduct, charity, and love of freedom.
<1 Their doctrine of immortality ennobled mankind.
^ Strict secrecy was required of initiates, who were carefully chosen.
•J There were four priests: the Hierokeryx or Herald, the Dadouchos orTorchbearer,
the Archon Basileus or Magistrate, and the Hierophant or High Priest.
A A A
Self-Interrogation
The following questions are given so that you may test your understanding of the contents of this
discourse:
From understanding comes wisdom, and wisdom is the application of knowledge. If you cannot answer
Do not send the answers to the Department of Instruction.
the questions, reread the discourse.